Test your basic knowledge |

Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The absorption of heat by hardscapes - such as dark - nonreflective pavement and buildings - and its radiation to surrounding areas. Particularly in urban areas - other sources may include vehicle exhaust - air-conditioners - and street equipment; re






2. A community's total greenhouse gas emissions divided by the total number of residents.






3. The amount of building materials returned to active use (in the same or a related capacity as their original use) - expressed as a percentage of the total materials cost of a building. The salvaged materials are incorporated into the new building - t






4. The exterior surface of a building - the walls - windows - roof - and floor; also referred to as the building shell.






5. A material - other than the principal product - generated as a consequence of an industrial process or as a breakdown product in a living system. (EPA)






6. Precipitation captured and used for indoor needs - irrigation - or both.






7. A voluntary - consensus-based - market-driven building rating system based on existing - proven technology. The LEED Green Building Rating System represents USGBC's effort to provide a national benchmark for green buildings. Through its use as a desi






8. Also known as regional materials - the amount of a building's materials that are extracted - processed - and manufactured close to a project site - expressed as a percentage of the total materials cost. For LEED - regional materials originate within






9. The process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems and assemblies are planned - designed - installed - tested - operated - and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements.






10. A control system capable of monitoring environmental and system loads and adjusting HVAC operations accordingly in order to conserve energy while maintaining comfort. (EPA)






11. The amount of air circulated through a space - measured in air changes per hour (the quantity of infiltration air in cubic feet per minute divided by the volume of the room). Proper ventilation rates - as prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62 - ensure tha






12. Plant material from trees - grasses - or crops that can be converted to heat energy to produce electricity.






13. Equipment - distribution systems - and terminals that provide the processes of heating - ventilating - or air-conditioning. (ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007)






14. Energy derived from ancient organic remains - such as peat - coal - crude oil - and natural gas. (EPA)






15. Typical primary measures of energy consumption associated with buildings include kilowatt-hours of electricity - therms of natural gas - and gallons of liquid fuel.






16. The percentage of occupants who have direct control over temperature - airflow - and lighting in their spaces.






17. Land that is likely to be flooded by a storm of a given size (e.g. A 100-year storm).






18. Plants that require saturated soils to survive or can tolerate prolonged wet soil conditions.






19. A plan that diverts construction debris from landfills through recycling - salvaging - and reuse.






20. Management of a forest to produce in perpetuity a high-level annual or regular periodic output - through a balance between increment and cutting. (Society of American Foresters)






21. The number of types of spaces or housing types per acre. A neighborhood that includes a diversity of uses - offices - homes - schools - parks - stores - encourages walking - and its residents and visitors are less dependent on personal vehicles. A di






22. Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Brundtland Commission)






23. A measure of how well a material rejects solar heat; the index ranges from 0 (least reflective) to 100 (most reflective). Using "cooler" materials helps prevent the urban heat island effect (the absorption of heat by roofs and pavement and its radiat






24. A committee consisting of industry experts who assist in interpreting credits and developing technical improvements to the LEED Green Building Rating System.






25. The temperature - humidity - and airflow ranges within which the majority of people are most comfortable - as determined by ASHRAE Standard 55-2004. Because people dress differently depending on the season - thermal comfort levels vary with the seaso






26. The emission of volatile organic compounds from synthetic and natural products.






27. Vehicles that use low-polluting - nongasoline fuels - such as electricity - hydrogen - propane or compressed natural gas - liquid natural gas - methanol - and ethanol. In LEED - efficient gas-electric hybrid vehicles are included in this group.






28. Construction items recovered from existing buildings or construction sites and reused. Common salvaged materials include structural beams and posts - flooring - doors - cabinetry - brick - and decorative items.






29. An indicator of neighborhood density - calculated as the number of centerline miles per square mile. Centerline miles are the length of a road down its center. A community with high street grid density and narrow - interconnected streets is more like






30. A landscaping method that makes routine irrigation unnecessary by using drought-adaptable and low-water plants - as well as soil amendments such as compost and mulches to reduce evaporation.






31. The installed lighting power per unit area.






32. The amount of connection between a site and the surrounding community - measured by proximity of the site to homes - schools - parks - stores - restaurants - medical facilities - and other services and amenities.






33. An indicator of ventilation effectiveness inside buildings. CO2 concentrations greater than 530 parts per million (ppm) above outdoor conditions generally indicate inadequate ventilation. Absolute concentrations of greater than 800 to 1000 ppm genera






34. Wood that has been issued a certificate from an independent organization with developed standards of good forest management. This certificate verifies that wood products come from responsibly managed forests.






35. A device that removes heat from a liquid - typically as part of a refrigeration system used to cool and dehumidify buildings.






36. A stormwater management feature consisting of an excavated depression and vegetation that collects and filters runoff and reduce peak discharge rates.






37. A document that outlines the organization - schedule - allocation of resources - and documentation requirements of the commissioning process.






38. A combination of symptoms - experienced by occupants of a building - that appear to be linked to time spent in the building but cannot be traced to a specific cause. Complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone or be spread throughout the






39. Management of forest resources to meet the long-term forest product needs of humans while maintaining the biodiversity of forested landscapes. The primary goal is to restore - enhance - and sustain a full range of forest values - including economic -






40. A measure of a building's energy performance compared with that of similar buildings - as determined by the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. A score of 50 represents average building performance.






41. The total square footage of all buildings within a particular area - measured in square feet per acre or units per acre.






42. A comparison of a building system's performance with a baseline that is equivalent to minimal compliance with an applicable energy code - such as ASHRAE Standard 90 or California's Title 24.






43. The level of pollutants prescribed by regulations that is not to be exceeded during a given time in a defined area. (EPA)






44. An unwanted airborne element that may reduce indoor air quality (ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007)






45. The controlled admission of natural light into a space - used to reduce or eliminate electric lighting.






46. The floor area of the building divided by the total area of the site (square feet per acre)






47. The primary goal of each prerequisite or credit.






48. An optional LEED Green Building Rating System component whose achievement results in the earning of points toward certification.






49. A rating that indicates the efficiency of air filters in the mechanical system. MERV ratings range from 1 (very low efficiency) to 16 (very high efficiency).






50. The spent or used water from a home - community - farm - or industry that contains dissolved or suspended matter.